Things have been so busy here that it is hard to know where to start.
I just spoke the last 3 nights at the 59th anniversary of the Central Church in Andahuaylas. Here church anniversaries are big deals and last night we had to borrow pews. It was exciting and a blessing - I was given the topics of Baptism, Devotional time and The Lord's Supper.
So it was exciting that Saturday saw us out at a river just a couple of miles from a glacier (Talk about cold water! Winter is on it's way here 2 miles up as well) 11 were baptized, it was so much fun to be out in the beautiful countryside, the smell of Eucalyptus and Camphor everywhere, eating boiled potatoes and chicken, singing hymns (in 4 languages) to a big old harp, seeing the people in the colorful dress. There must have been 300 or 400 folks there. Our camera batteries died, phooey! so we only have a couple of pictures.
Then Saturday night, we had communion. Here we have a big problem. Some teachers came through several years ago and they didn't know the Quechua. So, they taught on communion VERY strongly on not eating and drinking unworthily. The result is that in the average church around here only about 10% take communion.
But the Spirit moved last night and even with members from various churches there (another Andahuaylas tradition) and even with the Elder's deciding to fill up ALL the communion cups (we use several small loaves of bread) - the was only 1 cup not taken.
And no one took it casually! There were tears, people praying on their knees and going to others asking pardon - definitely not normal Quechua behavior.
I will be posting a couple of times in the next week as we prepare for 22 conferences in the next 6 weeks and as the Bible Institute fully cranks up.
God bless,
Mike
Mike & Tammy Riggs - Missionaries in Peru - Join the team going into the world and making disciples!
Books for pastors
Mike blogging...yesterday I met with the leadership of the largest Christian bookstore/distributor (libreria Inca) in Peru. We had a great meeting and they are going to work with us to provide a small (7 volume) library for all of our Thompson seminar graduates and for our Bible Institute students at a nominal cost!
We're grandparents!
And Miguel and Becky are parents. Little Abigail Grace made her appearance at about 12:30 this afternoon. Miguel was so excited that he ran into the waiting room just shouting "Ya!" (Already.)
Abby weighed in at 7 lb. 14 oz. and measured 20 1/4" according to our metric conversion. She has a lot of dark wavy hair.
We'll post some pix tomorrow.
Abby weighed in at 7 lb. 14 oz. and measured 20 1/4" according to our metric conversion. She has a lot of dark wavy hair.
We'll post some pix tomorrow.
Mike is out, and Becky is going in
MIKE
got out of the hospital Saturday. (Just a recap--he had four stents put in and the doctor says his heart should be good for another 20 years). The final final bill was $30,000. His leg is still very sore and weak from where they put the heart catheter in (the tube was in place for four days.) Other than that he is fine and just goes back for a check Thursday.
BECKY
went Saturday to her doctor and her tests showed that she had preeclampsia. The doctor said with that and the other two problems they would have to go ahead and do a C-section. Becky was a little disappointed, since they were praying for guidance on what to decide, they figured that was the answer. She is checking into the clinic tonight. Little Abigail Grace should enter the world tomorrow afternoon.
Thanks for your prayers!
Tammy
got out of the hospital Saturday. (Just a recap--he had four stents put in and the doctor says his heart should be good for another 20 years). The final final bill was $30,000. His leg is still very sore and weak from where they put the heart catheter in (the tube was in place for four days.) Other than that he is fine and just goes back for a check Thursday.
BECKY
went Saturday to her doctor and her tests showed that she had preeclampsia. The doctor said with that and the other two problems they would have to go ahead and do a C-section. Becky was a little disappointed, since they were praying for guidance on what to decide, they figured that was the answer. She is checking into the clinic tonight. Little Abigail Grace should enter the world tomorrow afternoon.
Thanks for your prayers!
Tammy
Mike heart update
Mike had the heart catheterization today, and they put in 4 stents. The price will be a bit over $20,000, which we have 6 months to pay.
In the US they usually do the angiogram (other $5000) at the same time, but they can't really do that here, since they are usually expecting cash. This has confused everyone, including us, as we didn't understand how much more the angioplasty (unblocking the blocked arteries and placing the stents) would cost and thought at first that it would all be covered by around $5000.
The clinic is excellent and up to standards anywhere. Although the price seems really high to us, looking at this webpage http://ping.fm/g5nnl I realize that it is just an expensive operation.
Mike already looks more lively, even though he is in intensive care for two days.
Please keep praying for his recovery and God's provision!
Love,
Tammy
In the US they usually do the angiogram (other $5000) at the same time, but they can't really do that here, since they are usually expecting cash. This has confused everyone, including us, as we didn't understand how much more the angioplasty (unblocking the blocked arteries and placing the stents) would cost and thought at first that it would all be covered by around $5000.
The clinic is excellent and up to standards anywhere. Although the price seems really high to us, looking at this webpage http://ping.fm/g5nnl I realize that it is just an expensive operation.
Mike already looks more lively, even though he is in intensive care for two days.
Please keep praying for his recovery and God's provision!
Love,
Tammy
Prayer and praise update 2/7
Praise for.....
A good and uneventful trip to Lima.
God providing affordable lodgings in Lima even after difficulties developed with our first arrangement.
Mike got good results on his stress echocardiogram here, even though the test showed heart damage.
Mike following Doctor's orders even though he wants to "doooo something!"
Communications with the clinic getting straightened out.
Prayer requests:
Mike still lacks about $3700 for his procedure--please pray for God's provision for this and the added expenses of staying here.
Becky (our daughter here in Lima) is going to have an ultrasound to see if it is necessary for her to have a C-section, as was her earlier diagnosis.
Please pray for the work that is being done in Andahuaylas to get Bible Institute students and classes going in April.
Pray for an end to internet difficulties, I have written several posts over the past weeks that just disappeared!
A good and uneventful trip to Lima.
God providing affordable lodgings in Lima even after difficulties developed with our first arrangement.
Mike got good results on his stress echocardiogram here, even though the test showed heart damage.
Mike following Doctor's orders even though he wants to "doooo something!"
Communications with the clinic getting straightened out.
Prayer requests:
Mike still lacks about $3700 for his procedure--please pray for God's provision for this and the added expenses of staying here.
Becky (our daughter here in Lima) is going to have an ultrasound to see if it is necessary for her to have a C-section, as was her earlier diagnosis.
Please pray for the work that is being done in Andahuaylas to get Bible Institute students and classes going in April.
Pray for an end to internet difficulties, I have written several posts over the past weeks that just disappeared!
Mike out of hospital, still in Cuzco
Mike is out of the hospital and still in Cuzco. He has to take a stress test in 3 days to see if he is able to travel to Lima.
When we went to pay his bill we got a great surprise! The doctors had requested a further discount on the bill, bringing it DOWN to around $2000. Isn't God wonderful?
We are still waiting to see about the angioplasty price. The doctors are looking for a lower cost for us.
Thanks again for your prayers!
When we went to pay his bill we got a great surprise! The doctors had requested a further discount on the bill, bringing it DOWN to around $2000. Isn't God wonderful?
We are still waiting to see about the angioplasty price. The doctors are looking for a lower cost for us.
Thanks again for your prayers!
Prayer need update Sunday, 1/17
Mike continues to improve and is off IV. This means that the next big hurdle is actually money. He should be discharged tomorrow and I will need to be there with $3000 cash in hand. This really needs prayer!
The next question is the treatment in Lima. They are sending him for angioplasty and the price they have quoted (not officially yet) is $10,000. This is another big prayer request. Also if anyone knows about this please contact me, as there is no cardiologist here to give a second opinion.
An up to date financial needs page is on our website and I will be updating it daily. http://ping.fm/9lRTT
Serving our great God,
Tammy
The next question is the treatment in Lima. They are sending him for angioplasty and the price they have quoted (not officially yet) is $10,000. This is another big prayer request. Also if anyone knows about this please contact me, as there is no cardiologist here to give a second opinion.
An up to date financial needs page is on our website and I will be updating it daily. http://ping.fm/9lRTT
Serving our great God,
Tammy
Oops! and update
First, there was a typo yesterday--Mike's cardiac enzyme level was 200, not 400!
Mike continues to improve. His glucose is high, so they are upping one of the meds he usually takes, not going to insulin.
Another answer to prayer--the hospital is billing us as though we were insured there and the total bill there will be around $3000 if Mike gets out Monday as planned.
Please pray for God's continued provision, as the next step is to go to Lima and a clinic there.
Many thanks for all your prayers!
Mike continues to improve. His glucose is high, so they are upping one of the meds he usually takes, not going to insulin.
Another answer to prayer--the hospital is billing us as though we were insured there and the total bill there will be around $3000 if Mike gets out Monday as planned.
Please pray for God's continued provision, as the next step is to go to Lima and a clinic there.
Many thanks for all your prayers!
Mike in hospital (detailed version)
This is not new news for a lot of you, but Mike is in the hospital in Cuzco after having several light heart attacks while vacationing there.
There was some difficulty getting it diagnosed, as his EKG was normal and he did not present all the symptoms of a heart attack. He in fact went to one clinic on Tuesday that sent him home with cough medicine.
However, about 7 pm he developed intense pain and a phone consultation on Wednesday (after several fruitless attempts to find a cardiologist--this is vacation time of year) with a missionary doctor at Curahuasi led us to a cardiologist who put him in the hospital for tests on Wednesday. The cardiac enzymes were in total 400 (normal is 35 to 150) indicating a heart attack--evidently several, starting probably Monday.
However, thanks to all your prayers and the good care he is getting he is improving rapidly and enzymes are now down to 40. He will be taken off medication tomorrow and will continue in the hospital a few more days. After this he will have to go to Lima for further treatment.
Please be in prayer for his continued recovery and for financial provision. We will have to pay our part of the bill when he comes out of the hospital, and we aren't covered at this hospital. Also the doctor has already told us that the procedure in Lima is a little expensive.
If you feel led to give a gift, please mark it Medical Help and send it to Believers´ Bridge, 4871 Hwy 29, Chelsea, AL 35043.
Thanks again for all of your prayers!
Tammy
There was some difficulty getting it diagnosed, as his EKG was normal and he did not present all the symptoms of a heart attack. He in fact went to one clinic on Tuesday that sent him home with cough medicine.
However, about 7 pm he developed intense pain and a phone consultation on Wednesday (after several fruitless attempts to find a cardiologist--this is vacation time of year) with a missionary doctor at Curahuasi led us to a cardiologist who put him in the hospital for tests on Wednesday. The cardiac enzymes were in total 400 (normal is 35 to 150) indicating a heart attack--evidently several, starting probably Monday.
However, thanks to all your prayers and the good care he is getting he is improving rapidly and enzymes are now down to 40. He will be taken off medication tomorrow and will continue in the hospital a few more days. After this he will have to go to Lima for further treatment.
Please be in prayer for his continued recovery and for financial provision. We will have to pay our part of the bill when he comes out of the hospital, and we aren't covered at this hospital. Also the doctor has already told us that the procedure in Lima is a little expensive.
If you feel led to give a gift, please mark it Medical Help and send it to Believers´ Bridge, 4871 Hwy 29, Chelsea, AL 35043.
Thanks again for all of your prayers!
Tammy
Beaumont Bible Visit
Twenty members of Beaumont Bible Church should all be home after a very busy week here in Peru. They came with the intention of forming a sister church relationship with the Iglesia Evangelica Peruana "Maranatha" of Andahuaylas,helping construct the Bible Institute facility, leading a VBS, and conducting a medical campaign.
The Bible Institute facility has run into various snags--too many rocks on the land to be ready to build, too many holes in the roof of the old institute we could borrow--in short, we know we are going to start classes in a borrowed facility, but not WHICH facility. So they wound up painting the office that Kausay will be using soon. Still the Beaumonters managed to impress with their professionalism and love--because they filled the holes in the wall!
On the church front, all went well after a slightly rocky start. The second day of VBS no one showed up from the Andahuaylas church to help. This was the first mission trip that had ever come to the Andahuaylas church and the first VBS held there, so they just never buckled down and organized. However, this was just the wake-up call the Andahuaylas church needed, and the result was a real blessing for the Andahuaylas church and the Beaumont church. The week finished off with an appreciation dinner for the Beaumont team with a lot of tears and affection on both sides.
I have to admit I am a little dissatisfied with one result of this sister church relationship--on New Years Eve the Andahuaylas church, with a great deal of ceremony, posted a sign at the front of the church that says U.T., in honor of the visitors and the "grand fiesta of sports" (National Championship) soon to take place in the US. I wanted to take the microphone and say just two words: "Rooooll Tide!"
On the medical front, all went really well. After the struggle to get the doctors authorized to practice, there wasn't time for the health department to publicize the campaign. This was fine, because we had announced it earlier to the pastors from the country, and they had gone back to their villages and announced it. The result was that we had mostly patients from out in the country (some of whom had never been to the doctor before) and not people from the city who just want to consult an American doctor and get some free medicine. And we had no lack of patients! Four people also received long-needed hernia surgeries, and the surgeon established a good relationship with the hospital.
It was a great time, and a good start on a lot of things.
The Bible Institute facility has run into various snags--too many rocks on the land to be ready to build, too many holes in the roof of the old institute we could borrow--in short, we know we are going to start classes in a borrowed facility, but not WHICH facility. So they wound up painting the office that Kausay will be using soon. Still the Beaumonters managed to impress with their professionalism and love--because they filled the holes in the wall!
On the church front, all went well after a slightly rocky start. The second day of VBS no one showed up from the Andahuaylas church to help. This was the first mission trip that had ever come to the Andahuaylas church and the first VBS held there, so they just never buckled down and organized. However, this was just the wake-up call the Andahuaylas church needed, and the result was a real blessing for the Andahuaylas church and the Beaumont church. The week finished off with an appreciation dinner for the Beaumont team with a lot of tears and affection on both sides.
I have to admit I am a little dissatisfied with one result of this sister church relationship--on New Years Eve the Andahuaylas church, with a great deal of ceremony, posted a sign at the front of the church that says U.T., in honor of the visitors and the "grand fiesta of sports" (National Championship) soon to take place in the US. I wanted to take the microphone and say just two words: "Rooooll Tide!"
On the medical front, all went really well. After the struggle to get the doctors authorized to practice, there wasn't time for the health department to publicize the campaign. This was fine, because we had announced it earlier to the pastors from the country, and they had gone back to their villages and announced it. The result was that we had mostly patients from out in the country (some of whom had never been to the doctor before) and not people from the city who just want to consult an American doctor and get some free medicine. And we had no lack of patients! Four people also received long-needed hernia surgeries, and the surgeon established a good relationship with the hospital.
It was a great time, and a good start on a lot of things.
Christmas in Peru
A friend, Victoria, was badly injured in an accident a couple of weeks ago. Tammy wrote about it. Tammy heard that she was still here in the regional hospital, so we decided to visit her. Tammy bought a little pre-decorated Christmas tree to take to her.
When we got to the hospital we found out that she had been transported to Lima due to the severity of her injuries. We asked the nurse if there was someone in the hospital who could use a little tree, because it is sad to spend Christmas in the hospital. She took us to a small ward (6 beds) with three elderly ladies. The ward is dismal and dim, with ugly green walls and no decoration.
The one in the middle is dying of kidney failure, one has pneumonia and one has a leprous skin disease. The nurse wanted to have us give the tree to the lady dying of kidney failure, but it was too late, she is no longer mentally there. But the one with pneumonia almost jumped out of bed to get the tree. Her eyes lit up!
So we gave it to her, but said it was for the whole ward. Then we prayed. The nurse had to translate because the ladies only understand Quechua. But, they knew what was up. They teared up and the leprous one wanted me to be sure and see her arms.
What a blessed way to spend Christmas Eve!
When we got to the hospital we found out that she had been transported to Lima due to the severity of her injuries. We asked the nurse if there was someone in the hospital who could use a little tree, because it is sad to spend Christmas in the hospital. She took us to a small ward (6 beds) with three elderly ladies. The ward is dismal and dim, with ugly green walls and no decoration.
The one in the middle is dying of kidney failure, one has pneumonia and one has a leprous skin disease. The nurse wanted to have us give the tree to the lady dying of kidney failure, but it was too late, she is no longer mentally there. But the one with pneumonia almost jumped out of bed to get the tree. Her eyes lit up!
So we gave it to her, but said it was for the whole ward. Then we prayed. The nurse had to translate because the ladies only understand Quechua. But, they knew what was up. They teared up and the leprous one wanted me to be sure and see her arms.
What a blessed way to spend Christmas Eve!
Even paperwork can be an adventure in Peru
We are still working on getting authorization for the medical team from Beaumont Bible Church. It's interesting how in Peru this is an interesting and even adventurous thing.
This morning I went out with Dr. Alejandro Landas, the dentist who is helping me with this (he is head of the health department post by Munay Wasi and works with the NEW Munay association.)
I went to meet him at his office at 11 sharp, per his request, and had to wait for twenty minutes while he finished with a patient. When the drilling sound stopped, three VERY small nuns in large brown habits came out of his office. It seemed so much like a comedy sketch that I had to struggle a little to maintain a straight face as I set out with him to the Health Department, a complex maze of buildings, to pick up the document that certifies our doctors to work in the country.
When we got there we were informed that the document was still on its way (it's been coming for two days) and would arrive tomorrow.
Then we went to the Regional Hospital, a complex maze of blue buildings, to look for the Health Department Director for Apurimac, figuring that the mere existence of the document would be enough to allow us to plan the medical campaign. He wasn't there, but we did see dead bodies from a wreck over the weekend being loaded on a truck. I thought I was imagining the smell until I saw a group of nurses with their noses covered.
Now off to the Health Department again, but uphill this time, to look for the Director. He wasn't there, either, So Alec called him on his cell phone and found out he was at the coliseum. So off to the coliseum!
Arriving, we found nothing happening. Turns out that the balance had run out on Alec's prepaid phone, and he didn't hear WHICH coliseum. So off to the other coliseum!
This coliseum was a scene of pandemonium. It was the site of the municipal chocolatada, where the children were being given free chocolate and toys by the city. Mobs of children in their school uniforms were pounding on the closed doors, and mothers were grabbing the presents and trying to send their kids through again. Policemen were on hand to prevent this happening. We made our way through the crowd, the policemen letting Dr. Alec, a known health officer, through.
Inside we found the director, presumably on hand to watch out for injuries and have his picture taken for the paper. Also the Hospital Director. After a few minutes waiting, and watching the children come through for their presents, we met with them both. The Health Dept. thought we needed another document as well, the Hospital didn't think so, but the Health Dept had the final say. So tomorrow when we get the first document from the Colegio de Medicos we will use it to apply for a document from the Ministry of Health.
A guard let us out the back way, avoiding the crowd, and off back uphill to the dentist's office.
One item done on today's list. Next to the bank, where the ATM gobbled my card . . .
This morning I went out with Dr. Alejandro Landas, the dentist who is helping me with this (he is head of the health department post by Munay Wasi and works with the NEW Munay association.)
I went to meet him at his office at 11 sharp, per his request, and had to wait for twenty minutes while he finished with a patient. When the drilling sound stopped, three VERY small nuns in large brown habits came out of his office. It seemed so much like a comedy sketch that I had to struggle a little to maintain a straight face as I set out with him to the Health Department, a complex maze of buildings, to pick up the document that certifies our doctors to work in the country.
When we got there we were informed that the document was still on its way (it's been coming for two days) and would arrive tomorrow.
Then we went to the Regional Hospital, a complex maze of blue buildings, to look for the Health Department Director for Apurimac, figuring that the mere existence of the document would be enough to allow us to plan the medical campaign. He wasn't there, but we did see dead bodies from a wreck over the weekend being loaded on a truck. I thought I was imagining the smell until I saw a group of nurses with their noses covered.
Now off to the Health Department again, but uphill this time, to look for the Director. He wasn't there, either, So Alec called him on his cell phone and found out he was at the coliseum. So off to the coliseum!
Arriving, we found nothing happening. Turns out that the balance had run out on Alec's prepaid phone, and he didn't hear WHICH coliseum. So off to the other coliseum!
This coliseum was a scene of pandemonium. It was the site of the municipal chocolatada, where the children were being given free chocolate and toys by the city. Mobs of children in their school uniforms were pounding on the closed doors, and mothers were grabbing the presents and trying to send their kids through again. Policemen were on hand to prevent this happening. We made our way through the crowd, the policemen letting Dr. Alec, a known health officer, through.
Inside we found the director, presumably on hand to watch out for injuries and have his picture taken for the paper. Also the Hospital Director. After a few minutes waiting, and watching the children come through for their presents, we met with them both. The Health Dept. thought we needed another document as well, the Hospital didn't think so, but the Health Dept had the final say. So tomorrow when we get the first document from the Colegio de Medicos we will use it to apply for a document from the Ministry of Health.
A guard let us out the back way, avoiding the crowd, and off back uphill to the dentist's office.
One item done on today's list. Next to the bank, where the ATM gobbled my card . . .
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